Committee Spreads Word on Teen Drinking

With prom and graduation season close at hand, Jefferson Township is taking a stand against underage drinking. The township has issued a resolution in support of a community awareness campaign to prevent underage drinking. 

The campaign, called “Parents Who Host, Lose the Most: Don’t be a Party to Teenage Drinking,” is sponsored by the Jefferson Township Municipal Alliance for Drug Free Community in conjunction with the Jefferson Township Police Department.

The Jefferson Township Municipal Alliance and the Jefferson Township Police Department will be displaying and distributing public awareness and educational materials throughout the municipality, including banners, lawn signs and brochures. Local pizzerias will be involved too, displaying stickers on their pizza boxes in an effort to get the word out.

The aim of the campaign is to bring attention to the subject of underage drinking and send a message to parents and students that it is not only illegal, but unsafe, unhealthy and unacceptable.

The resolution issued by the township council points out that underage drinking is a factor in nearly half of all teen automobile crashes, 50 - 65% of youth suicides, and is also linked to as many as two-thirds of all sexual assaults and date rapes of teens and college students.

As for parents and adults, anyone found guilty of providing alcohol to youth can face fines and potential jail time or community service, in addition to any civil action that can be brought as a result of damages or injury related to the offense, according to police. 

Currently the state statutes do not cover underage consumption on private property but do allow for municipalities to adopt legislation for such enforcement. In 2005, the township council passed enabling legislation that gives additional penalties to persons who host parties and provide alcohol underage on private property.

The council resolution notes that adults have the authority and responsibility to youth to provide them with alternative opportunities by creating alcohol-free activities.

The resolution urges all township residents to refuse to provide alcoholic beverages to those below the legal drinking age of 21.  The campaign will run until the end of June, through prom and graduation season.